CHAPTER TWO – RESEARCH LIBRARIES IN KENYA
2.5 Case research libraries
This case study was conducted on the five case libraries discussed below. The selection criteria of the cases are provided in Chapter 5 (item 5.3).
2.5.1 African Medical and Research Foundation Library
AMREF‟s library is located at its International Training Centre, on Langata road in Nairobi, which is also the foundation‟s headquarters. It was established to:
1. Provide a platform that enables AMREF staff to share experiences and learn from one another by organizing and disseminating lessons learnt from all programme activities; and 2. Strengthen health systems in Africa by providing health workers with relevant and up-to-
date information and knowledge.
The library holds a diverse collection of information resources including monographs, AMREF publications, articles published by AMREF staff, grey literature,49 a “granary” containing valuable
49 These are unpublished materials including dissertations of various health professionals on diverse health issues.
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archival information and images from Africa. It also has access to over 6,000 international electronic journals, over 7,500 electronic books and unlimited access to health and educational materials. The library also holds a large collection of health, development and educational videos. To keep the users informed of the new developments in the library, it publishes an e-bulletin on a monthly basis which is circulated to all users. The AMREF library also hosts an Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) knowledge hub. This hub provides an easy access to a wide variety of HIV/AIDS treatment materials in a single location. As part of the hub, a monthly bulletin and ART case presentations are circulated online through electronic discussion forums on which professionals are able to share information regardless of their geographical location.
This library basically plays a coordinating role in managing AMREF‟s knowledge by collating, organizing and disseminating knowledge generated by all programmes enabling seamless sharing of experiences across AMREF and globally. Apart from the staff members as well as diploma and graduate students50 at the foundation, the library‟s services are also open to all members of the public under certain membership terms. The library opens at 9am to 8pm from Monday to Friday;
and 9am to 4pm on Saturdays. It remains closed on Sundays and public holidays.
2.5.2 International Centre for Research in Agroforestry51 Library
ICRAF‟s library was established in 1997 with the organization. It is located at the institution‟s headquarters near the United Nations complex in Gigiri, Nairobi. The library basically exists to enable the scientists at the centre and their partners to get access to relevant information needed for their work. The library holds a specialized collection of books, journal literature with considerable back runs, reprints, videos and images on Agroforestry.
The library collaborates with similar libraries both in the region and globally. Among these partners are other CGIAR52 centres, several national agricultural research institutes, and various United Nations (UN) organizations. The CGIAR Libraries and Information Services Consortium
50 AMREF offers a diploma in community health as well as Master of Public Health (MPH) programme with Moi University.
51 ICRAF is also known as World Agroforestry Centre.
52 Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) is a network of independent institutions working in agricultural research. ILRI and ICRAF are members of CGIAR.
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(CGLISC) has developed the CGVLibrary,53 a gateway to global agricultural knowledge from which leading databases and all CGIAR centres‟ online libraries can be accessed. The services offered by the library include: circulation of library materials; document delivery and interlibrary loan service;
user education; literature searches; computerized database searches; question and answer service;
current awareness; reprographic services; and assisting users to gain access to and retrieve information.
The library stocks over 25,192 books; 20,171 journal articles with back runs; basic reference collection; good collection of maps; conference papers; technical manuals; ICRAF publication series;
and a rich collection of DVDs, VCDs, audio cassettes and video tapes. It also holds several unpublished papers on Agroforestry from many sources. It is open to all for reading. However, borrowing is restricted only to ICRAF‟s staff members, partners, consultants and members of staff of partner organizations. Services to eligible members outside Nairobi are offered through email, courier or postal services. The library also serves other Agroforestry centres in South East Asia, Southern Africa, India and East Africa.
2.5.3 International Livestock Research Institute’s InfoCentre
ILRI‟s InfoCentre was established in 2003-2004. Its mission is to make available the wealth of information accumulated over the years by ILRI through new information and communication technologies; and create a hub for information exchange on livestock research and development in tropical developing countries and international agricultural research centres and partners. The InfoCentre maintains two branches; one in Nairobi, Kenya and the other in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
This study was conducted in the Nairobi branch.
The core objectives of the InfoCentre are to:
1. Meet the information needs of ILRI scientists to enable them to make time-saving and cost- effective use of internal and external information resources;
2. Repackage ILRI‟s research results and findings (in collaboration with other pertinent ILRI units) for dissemination to external clients, partners and stakeholders;
3. Deliver the best possible information services to extramural users through web-based technologies;
53 Accessible online at http://vlibrary.cgiar.org/
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4. Contribute to the development of CGIAR-wide information/knowledge management activities;
5. Develop better integration of information activities within research projects;
6. Provide information support to global research on livestock;
7. Collaborate with relevant national, regional and international organizations to facilitate global dissemination of information and share resources and knowledge;
8. Provide training in information management and the use of information and communication technology to enhance the information handling capability of information workers of national agricultural research systems; and
9. Establish policies and procedures to maintain, use, and distribute digitized or printed information sources.
ILRI‟s InfoCentre offers lending services; reference services using internal and external electronic databases; publication distribution; multimedia facilities; conference facilities; organizing ILRI- focused exhibitions of public interest; reading room with Internet access points for laptops; and Internet access cafés. It has diverse collections of books, journals and CD-ROMs in online and print formats, microfiches, videotapes, theses, conference proceedings, maps, photographs, newspapers and other forms of literature. The Nairobi branch focuses more on biological sciences while the Addis Ababa branch offers resources on a wide spectrum of disciplines including agricultural economics and veterinary science. The Addis Ababa branch also stocks a collection of more than 30,000 unpublished documents from research centres in over 25 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
The membership of the InfoCentre is diverse. Internal members consist of staff members, trainees, consultants, visiting scientists, post-doctoral fellows, long-term trainees and staff members of other CGIAR centres posted at ILRI. There are also external members comprising agricultural researchers, policy makers, teaching staff of agricultural colleges and universities, as well as post-graduate and doctoral students.
2.5.4 Kenya Agricultural Research Institute Library
KARI Library caters for agricultural researchers both from KARI and other institutions by identifying, acquiring, processing and making available appropriate information sources. It has 23 branch libraries spread in the various research centres countrywide. It has a large collection of
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monographs and journals covering research on biotechnology, food crops, horticultural and industrial crops, land and water management, livestock and range research, veterinary vaccines, seeds and biometrics.
The library is primarily intended for KARI staff, visiting scientists and participants in various KARI sponsored or partnership training programmes. However, scientists from the other research institutions in Kenya can also use the library for reference and reading purposes. They may also borrow items from the library through interlibrary loan mechanisms.
The library subscribes to both print and electronic journals as well as external online databases.
Books and periodicals are circulated to KARI scientists and other institutions that collaborate with KARI. Users have electronic access to external sources of information through the internal and external databases on CD-ROM or through the Internet. The library also provides a “question and answer” service through the support of the Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Cooperation (CTA).
2.5.5 Kenya Medical Research Institute Library
The KEMRI library was established in 1979 when the institute was organized. Its vision is to be the first point of choice for library information services relating to biomedical research. The mission of the library is to provide comprehensive library and information services related to all the functions of the institute including the scientific, academic and administrative needs. It aims to accomplish its mission and vision by:
1. Selecting, acquiring and organizing a wide range of quality electronic and print information resources in line with the institute‟s mandates, programmes and services;
2. Contributing to the development of quality health care through the provision of access to quality information services to researchers, administrators and the academics;
3. Making use of ICTs in the management of library and information services for enhancement of efficiency;
4. Providing information literacy programmes to enable users to exploit the available information resources to the maximum;
5. Developing new information services as and when necessary by keeping updated on the changing environment of information services provision; and
6. Developing a library services charter in line with the institute‟s service charter.
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KEMRI library serves the research staff, post-graduate students of the Graduate Programme, students and other individuals from relevant institutions seeking information on health research.
The resources in the library include online medical databases and electronic scientific journals; books and printed reports; CD-ROMs; theses and dissertations from the institute‟s staff members; and scientific reprints from members of staff. The library also holds reprints from KEMRI's research activities in HIV/AIDS, malaria, leishmaniais, lymphatic filariasis, public health, reproductive health, schistosomiasis, traditional medicines and drugs, tuberculosis and viral hepatitis, among others.
The library offers reference assistance, lending services, literature searches, Internet/email services, interlibrary loan as well as photocopying/printing services. The Library collaborates with local and international health libraries in matters relating to health information resources and services.